Ulua - Haim Arlosoroff - Maapilim meeting 2024

Leaving Sweden in January 1947

Arrival to Eretz Israel in February 28, 1947

The S/S Ulua - Haim Arlosoroff monument will be placed on Huldah Promenade in Bat Galim. The place is just in front of the remains of the sunken ship at sea, at a distance of about a hundred meters from it. The monument will be placed in its permanent place when the works on the promenade are finished and it will be opened to the public. A monument created by the artist Moshik Zore, a sculptor and resident artist of Maagan Michael. The ceremony was held at the statue and not at Bat Galim because the construction of the boardwalk was not finished.

Kibbutz Maagan Michael. The ceremony, 77 years after Uula's arrival to Eretz Israel. was held at the statue and not at Bat Galim because the construction of the boardwalk was not finished. 2024

ארנרייך משה > ארן משה                    Harenraich Moshe Aran Moshe

הוכללרר לייבה > בורסט חביבה         Hochler Luba Borst Haviva

וייס אסתר > יטבת אסתר                     Weiss Ester Yotvat Ester

ורבר > וסרשטרום אסתר                     Werber Ester Vasershtrum Ester

לזר אליזבט > סיני לאה                        Lazar Elizabet Sinai Lea                              Sweden

לפה רניה > פריד רינה                         Lapa Renia Frid Rina                                   Sweden

מדלזי פולה(פולדה) > בר און מרגלית Midlash Perla Bar On Margalit                    Sweden

פולק חיים ארווין                                 Polak Ervin

פישהוף שולמית> בן אפרים שולמית Ben Efraim Shulamit Fishhoff Shulamit      Sweden

פרידמן הלה > לוסטגרטן עפרה         Fridman Hela Lustgarten Ofra                     Sweden

צוקרמן חנה > פאלוך חנה                Zukerman Chana Faluch Chana

שמוקלר משה > רביד משה               Shmokler Moshe Ravid Moshe

שמוקלר עדה > רביד עדה צפורה     Shmokler Ada Zipora Ravid Ada

ברסלר חוה < כהנא חוה                  Cahana Cahva Chana Chava                          Sweden


On 24 January 1947, the old ship, which had been bought in the US carried the name "Ulua". left Trelleborg, Sweden where 650 Holocaust survivors embarked on it. Most of them were of Polish origin. They were brought to Sweden from Bergen-Belsen by UNRRA mission White Boats. While crossing the Atlantic Ocean, the ship almost sank during a storm in Biscayne Bay. 

3 weeks later it arrived in Metaponto, Italy, where it embarked an additional 700 Holocaust survivors. Overloaded and crowded S/S Ulua continued its long journey (the longest of all illegal immigration ships to Mandatory Palestine), to Eretz Israel shore. 

Upon arrival of the Ulua, renamed to Haim Arlosoroff, in the vicinity of the coast, it was detected by the British Navy, the commander of the operation, Lova Eliav, was ordered to surrender and to hand over all the immigrants to the British Navy. The Ship's commanders refused to comply and took a decision to try to strand the ship on the Bat-Galim beach, despite the presence of 5 British destroyers and other combat ships. 

The destroyers were trying to butt the ship and to embark soldiers on board, these were pushed back to the water by the immigrants. 

Eventually, on 28 Feb. 1947, 75 years ago, the Ship's captain Gad Hilb, succeeded in running aground on the Bat-Galim shore, hoping that the immigrants would jump overboard into the water and reach land. The plan was not successful: All the Ship immigrants and their crew were caught, arrested, and deported to British detention camps in Cyprus. 

Only 18 months later, these immigrants were allowed to sail to Israel. 

For several years, the battered ship remained stranded 100 meters off the beach, until 1953. Then, the upper part of the Ship was cut and scraped and the lower part was dismantled and sunken. The remains of the Ship are to be found in the very same place, 5 meters deep, slightly northeast of the casino and the Bat-Galim beach.

Meeting 2023